McLean County Phases Out Animal Gas Chamber

Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:01:54 CDTBy: Charlie Schlenker

The McLean County Animal Control Program is three or four months away from ending the gassing of aggressive dogs to death. Earlier this year a coalition of animal support groups presented objections to the County Board saying carbon monoxide is an inhumane way to get rid of animals. Assistant Health Department Administrator Cathy Coverston Anderson says the Health Department was moving toward lethal injection anyway for most euthanasias and this hastened the process. She says the department must still prepare the way for the change...

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"There's a couple of things, a 'squeeze cage," really just a large restraint cage, we would like to get one of those. We'd also are looking at using maybe using chemical immobilization guns, staff need to be trained to use those mobilization darts and pistols, so we have that to figure out."
The initial outlay will be about $10,000. Coverston-Anderson says the gas chamber is less expensive than lethal injection so annual costs will also rise by about $2,500. Most of the animals the county disposes of already are put to sleep with shots. The gas chamber was used for 66 dogs last year and only 15 so far this year.